Field dressing of an animal is the procedure performed by a hunter to remove the entrails and skin from an animal without spoiling the meat. To field dress an animal, the animal is laid on its side or, if possible, on its back, so that the hunter has access to the underside of the animal.
One method of field dressing includes the use of a single blade hunting knife. An incision is first made by the point of the knife through the skin and abdominal wall of the animal and then the skin of the animal is cut from the crotch to the throat by the blade of the hunting knife. Extreme care must be exercised so as not to puncture the intestines or the stomach of the animal with the point of the knife since this would spoil the meat and hide of the animal.
To avoid the accidental cutting of the entrails of the animal, an experienced hunter, with one hand, forms an incision through the skin of the animal in the crotch area with the point of a knife. As the blade of the knife is moved away from the hunter, the incision made in the crotch area is extended to the throat of the animal. The other hand of the hunter is placed below and slightly in front of the point of the blade of the knife to push away the entrails of the animal to avoid the entrails from being cut by the point of the hunting knife. This is a relatively slow process and is usually only performed correctly by experienced hunters.
Another method of field dressing an animal is by the use of a multi-blade knife which includes a pointed hunting knife blade and a field dressing knife blade, used independently of one another. The field dressing blade includes a blunted point and a sharp cutting edge. The multi-blade knife is used by first outwardly unfolding the pointed hunting knife blade from the handle and making an incision in the animal in the crotch area. Then, the hunting knife blade is folded inwardly into the knife handle. The field dressing blade is then unfolded outwardly from the handle and used to field dress the animal. The blunted point of the field-dressing blade separates the hide from the meat of the animal without cutting the entrails of the animal. The sharp cutting edge of the field dressing knife blade cuts the skin of the animal.
Still another method of field dressing an animal includes the use of a "Wyoming" knife. The "Wyoming" knife is a single blade, "U" shape knife, made of surgical steel. One end of the "U" is secured to a handle and the other end terminates in a dulled point. The cutting blade is similar to a single edge razor and is replaced when dull. An incision is made in the throat area prior to the use of the "Wyoming" knife, by another shape edged knife blade. The dulled knife point of the "Wyoming" knife is oriented towards the hunter and the cutting action is performed, after the incision has been made by another knife blade, by pulling the "Wyoming" knife towards the hunter. As the "Wyoming" knife is pulled from the throat to the crotch of the animal, the dulled point of the "Wyoming" knife rides under the skin of the animal, pulling up the skin of the animal in advance of the cutting blade.
The "Wyoming" knife requires replacement of its blade after a relatively short period of time. The blade is removed from the handle by the unscrewing of two screws which secure the blade to the handle. The screws are removed by a screwdriver or a coin. Extra blades are usually carried with the "Wyoming" knife due to the required replacement of the blade after periods of use.
The present invention overcomes all the disadvantages of the previously known methods of eviscerating and skinning an animal.